Rock Cats’ roster situation still sorting itself out

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The New Britain Rock Cats that break camp next Tuesday will take on a much different look than the team that met the Minnesota Twins’ Triple-A club in an ‘intersquad’ scrimmage Tuesday afternoon.

Across the parking lot at big league camp, the Twins have several moves to make that will effect a trickle-down of talent. Players will jockey between the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings, the Rock Cats and the Class A Fort Myers Miracle until spring training closes on Tuesday.

"This is hell week," said Twins minor league director Jim Rantz, who was headed to a meeting with minor league field coordinator Joe Vavra, Rock Cats pitching coach Stu Cliburn and representatives of the other minor league clubs to discuss pitching assignments. "This is when it all happens."

MUNOZ JOINS CATS: The Rock Cats run-production potential received a critical boost with the acquisition of six-year minor-league veteran Billy Munoz. Munoz, 28, hit .280 with 17 homers and 61 RBI for the Erie Sea Wolves last year. Munoz, who is presently nursing a sore hamstring, will settle in at first base.

The addition of Munoz moves Ryan Owens from first to third. Owens came to New Britain from the Cincinnati chain May 2, got off to a terrible start but impressed the Twins with his versatility and clutch play. Owens, who made a hot stove visit with Twins general manager Terry Ryan in January, hit .252 with seven homers and 39 RBI for the Cats last year.

Owens, 24, played 40 games at second base, 17 at first, then eagerly moved to the outfield for 24 at the end of the season. His attitude won over manager Stan Cliburn.

"I was happy the way he played second and left," the manager said. "When he heard about Munoz, he came to me and told me that third was his best position, his original position. He played over there today and handled himself well."

ANOTHER MAUER: The shortstop slot remains in question.

Jake Mauer, older brother of New Britain’s 2003 minor league player of the year Joe Mauer, is in the mix. So is Seth Davidson, who played 12 games at second base for New Britain late last season, and Tommy Watkins, a utility infielder at Fort Myers last year.

Cliburn likes Mauer’s make-up.

"Mauer is the frontrunner," he said. "We know he’s not going to be an everyday player in the majors but he proved in the Florida State League he could play every day. I think he could be a Denny Hocking type guy but he’ll have a chance to play here every day because I like the way the guy carries himself. He’s not pretty but he gets it done."

The outfield is going to be much prettier, particularly on defense with flyhawk B.J. Garbe in center and rising star Jason Kubel in right. Fleet James Tomlin, Kevin West, Matt Scanlon and Brian Baron continue to vie for a summer in the Hardware City.

West and Baron have been running with Rochester but former Rock Cats star Lew Ford was sent over from big league camp Tuesday so the Triple-A outfield is becoming crowded. Josh Rabe and Michael Restovich are also ticketed for Rochester.

ROSTER LIMIT INCREASED: Cliburn is pleased that Double-A clubs will be permitted to carry 24 players for the whole season beginning this year. Previously, clubs started the campaign with 24 but had to cut back to 23 after the first month.

"We’ll carry 13 position players and 11 pitchers," he said, "and you know how much I like to use my bench."

The Rock Cats travel north to Sarasota today for a 1 p.m. game against the Cincinnati Reds Double-A club, the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern League. Cliburn said veteran right-hander Jon Pridie will get some work.